The San Carlos Apache Police Department, alongside the FBI, is currently investigating the murder of Raymond Preston, a disabled Apache man found brutally stabbed in his residence on August 23. According to the FOX 10 Phoenix report, Preston, 53, was discovered dead in his home following a social gathering he hosted the night prior. Struck multiple times across his face and neck, Preston's murder has shaken his family and the surrounding community who are seeking answers and justice in this act of violence.
Contacted by FOX 10 Phoenix, the victim's sister, Jolene Goseyun, recalled the harrowing experience of not being able to readily recognize her brother, "Is it really him? Is it really my brother?" She later had to rely upon her daughter to make the identification. Adding to the family's distress, Preston's prosthetic legs were missing from the scene. In a statement that painfully reflects their suffering, Goseyun expressed, "I had hatred in my heart." The family suspects that the heinous act could be a hate crime, given Preston's identity as a proud gay man and his disability from being a double amputee.
Ricardo Alvarado from the San Carlos Apache Police Department indicated to FOX 10 Phoenix that while no explicit evidence of a hate crime was found at the scene, investigators are not to prematurely close any doors on potential evidence, "At this time, we're not ruling it out, you know, just so we would not rule out any type of evidence that we would see at a crime scene or anything related to this." People present during the last known gathering at Preston's have been interviewed but so far no suspects have been identified.
Amidst the ongoing investigation, the San Carlos Apache Police Department has appealed to the public to provide any piece of information that might contribute to solving this case and bring closure for the victim's family and friends. As reported by the Eastern Arizona Courier, tips can be confidentially submitted online or via phone at (928) 475-2311. The FBI is actively involved, and tips can also be provided through their channels by emailing tips.fbi.gov or calling 1-800-CALL-FBI.
